Sometimes there is a trade-off between being reactionary or doing the right thing. Its easy to confuse poor product definition with inability to execute quickly. We have a customer who wants us to create a lower-cost version of a part they are already using. However, unable to get information on exactly how the part is being used, its impossible to predict how the replacement part will act in their system.
A key challenge in light sensor design is that the chip is sensitive to geometry. The light sensor is an optical-mechanical-electrical solution. So, depending on the environment around the part, the behavior will change. Reflections, shadows, and objects near the sensor can affect its performance. In general, if the customer is not willing to share information about their system, the odds of giving a satisfactory solution are low. Its hard to pass up money these days, but sometimes a customer doesn't understand when they are being unreasonable.
I told our marketing team that instead of trying to rush to second-source a part without system specifications, its better to look ahead into the future and anticipate where the customer is going. This allows a normal design in process. This is especially true when not all the technology to build the replacement part is ready. We need to aim to exceed the performance of the present customer solution with a new part that is lower in cost than their present solution. By saying no to the short-term business, we can create a better more valuable part. This more valuable part will be useful to many customers, since at least one is already buying an inferior part.
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